When Ning Shu returned to the system space, she instinctively touched her shoulder, wincing at the residual pain. It had been a long time since she'd felt such intense physical agony—comparable only to her days undergoing chemotherapy. Those memories of being confined to a hospital bed surfaced, stark and uninvited.
Glancing down at her form, she sighed deeply. Her soul had dimmed again, its light noticeably weaker. Without hesitation, she sat cross-legged and began to absorb the system space's energy. Every moment counted now—she needed to recover quickly.
As she focused, Ning Shu mulled over the Unsurpassable Martial Arts. Instead of passively letting the energy seep into her, she decided to integrate the cultivation method from the martial arts manual. It was an unorthodox choice since she was merely a soul without a physical body or meridians to circulate energy. Still, she figured it was worth trying, even if it felt somewhat foolish.
To her surprise, the technique worked. The energy flowed faster than before, bringing a refreshing, cool sensation that rejuvenated her soul. She relished the pleasant calm it brought, only to be interrupted by a cold, mechanical voice.
"Congratulations, Player, for making it back. Would you like to view your stats panel now?"
"Yes," Ning Shu responded without hesitation.
A translucent screen materialized in front of her, displaying her current stats:
---
Number: 2333
Name: Ning Shu
Age: 27
Experience: 7100 (7100/10000)
Soul: 60
Life: 50
Intelligence: 80
Charm: 1
Luck: 25
Mental Strength: 120
Martial Arts: 10
Aptitude: 24
Abilities:
Five Rings Shooting Skill
Trashy Combat Skill
Beginner Unsurpassable Martial Arts
Acquired Titles: Goddess of War
---
Ning Shu froze when she saw the title Goddess of War. When had she earned such an impressive title? It sounded over-the-top, but it was oddly fitting, considering her recent battles.
She frowned, however, at the experience points. A mere 3000 points? Even after factoring in the book of Unsurpassable Martial Arts, she only had 7100 in total—far from the 10,000 needed to level up. And what about the two points of virtuous achievement? What purpose did they serve?
Her thoughts turned to the grueling trials she'd faced. After countless bloody battles, she couldn't even tell if the blood staining her was from her enemies or herself, yet this was all the system deemed her efforts worth.
Still, she counted her blessings. Returning alive was already a victory.
"You've obtained five additional attribute points. Where would you like to allocate them?" the system prompted.
With a huff, Ning Shu tapped at the screen. Out of frustration and resignation, she added three points to Luck and two to Aptitude. Clearly, her moral alignment wasn't the best, considering how karma had struck her at the worst possible moment in the last world. She might as well hedge her bets.
The stats updated accordingly:
---
Luck: 25 → 28
Aptitude: 24 → 26
---
"Enter the task world? Yes/No," the system's voice chimed again.
"No," Ning Shu replied firmly.
Her soul had been worn thin by the horrors of the previous world, its light growing dimmer with every conflict. The memories lingered—she'd gone from an ordinary citizen to a blood-soaked general, and her emotions were in turmoil. She needed time to recover.
She exhaled, centering herself.
"I am Ning Shu," she whispered. "No matter what happens, I am myself. Even if I live for others, from beginning to end, I remain Ning Shu."
Resolute, she closed her eyes and began her recovery, letting the cool energy of the system space envelop her in peace.